CATHOLIC and independent schools have been suggested as hubs for primary students to receive COVID-19 vaccinations and secondary students to get their boosters, as teachers and families wait for details about returning to classes amidst record case numbers.
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Independent Education Union Australia NSW/ACT Branch acting secretary Pam Smith said the idea of using schools to facilitate vaccination had been floated and the union was open to further discussions.
"A number of our principal members in particular have raised concerns about vaccination access for primary school students in particular, but also for secondary school students, to provide more opportunities for them to access vaccinations and also their booster shots when they become eligible for booster shots," Ms Smith said.
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"We would be very open to discussions with employers to increase access to vaccination opportunities for students. At this stage there is nothing in place, we haven't had those formal discussions... but we're very supportive of anything which increases vaccination options for primary school aged children, they're available from [January 10] but we're hearing of frustrations and delays."
Ms Smith said schools had for decades been places where students received vaccinations, including Gardasil in recent years.
"Schools are community hubs, schools are trusted by parents and carers and if some of the practical and logistical issues could be resolved I think it makes sense for schools to be in the mix as sites for provision," she said.
Ms Smith said there would need to be consultation with the union and any program must not increase staff workloads.
Ms Smith said the IEU and the NSW Teachers Federation were "singing from the same page" and seeking "clarity, certainty and consistency" from governments and employers about the return to school plan.
"We need consultation and to be in the loop," she said.
"We want safe schools, we want our members to return safely to work, we want the children to return safely to school and we don't want the stress that was associated last year, there just seemed to be government by media release and schools were playing catch up. Employers were saying to us an announcement would be made and then they had to scramble and work through the implications for schools."
"Our members want to know about some of the very practical work health and safety issues, ensuring air quality and ventilation provisions are in place, student and staff testing and what that looks like, access to vaccination," she said.
"The other issue is about potential staff shortages... if they are affected by COVID, sick with COVID or if they're close contacts in their own families. Our members need to know what it will look like in terms of additional support if there are staff shortages at the time when school returns."
Queensland has delayed its start of term by two weeks to February 7 - apart from year 11 and 12, which will start remote learning on January 31 - but NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has said he will not negotiate on the NSW reopening.
A spokesperson for the Department of Education said its "main priority as we enter the 2022 school year remains the safety and wellbeing of our staff and students".
"The department is working closely with NSW Health to finalise school settings for the start of the new school year, and detailed advice for term one, including the use of Rapid Antigen Home Tests, will be made available to school communities shortly," he said.
"We encourage parents to book a vaccination appointment for their child as soon as possible, as evidence shows vaccination offers excellent protection against COVID-19 for children and helps keep your family safe and well."
Federation president Angelo Gavrielatos said "everything should be on the table" when ABC Radio Sydney asked him on Monday whether NSW should push the return to school back.
"We sought meetings last week with senior officials at the department and we're continuing those meetings this week to look at a range of scenarios and the plans that will need to be put in place based on each of these scenarios," he said.
Mr Gavrielatos said the federation had asked the government for data about when infections would peak.
"We're asking to have the modelling explained to us, noting the modelling has been undertaken while students are on vacation, they're not in classrooms and a few kids playing in a cul-de-sac in their street is a far different situation to 30 kids in a classroom."
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